Cratena peregrina and Flabellina affinis together

April 21, 2008
From: Luigi Montevecchi

Hi, Bill
This shot was taken in the Mediterranean sea at Corsica Island. The nudibranch on the right looks like a Cratena peregrina. On the left side I believe the aeolid is Flabellina affinis with her eggs. [I have labeled a copy of my photo for clarity] If it's so, what's the Cratena doing? Is she feeding on the same plant? I've never seen two different species so close each other.

Locality: Corsica Island, Site of dive: Lavezzi - Eceuil; depth: 10.7 meters, rocky bottom. France, Mediterranean Sea, 29 August 2007, Rocky bottom, Natural park. Length: 1 cm about. Photographer: Luigi Montevecchi.

I strongly appreciate any comment
Thanks in advance
Luigi

montevecchi@iol.it

Montevecchi L., 2008 (Apr 21) Cratena peregrina and Flabellina affinis together. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20911

Dear Luigi,

Firstly you are calling these animals 'she'. I know one is laying eggs, but all sea slugs are hermaphrodite with a full set of male and female organs so we can't really use 'he' or 'she' without offending their other half. Your identifications are correct, but the bushy plant-like growth they are both on is not a plant but a hydroid, which is a colonial animal related to sea anemones. Most aeolids feed on hydroids and most seem to eat only one or a few species - but we still have a lot to learn about their diets. I suspect in this case that both aeolid feeds on the same hydroid. It is a bit unusual to find more than one species of aeolid on a particular hydroid colony but when you do, it can be quite a spectacular sight.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Apr 21). Comment on Cratena peregrina and Flabellina affinis together by Luigi Montevecchi. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20911

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